Booked a week snowboarding next March in Ã…re in Sweden, Anyone been?

No, but I have a mate who lives closeby (hes an aborist) who goes regularly and keeps trying to get me up there, says its excellent and very quite in compairosn to the Alps.

You should be alright in March but I was getting reports the last two winters from him of EXTREME cold temperatures, and of course the hours of light didn't help much.

I got a mail from him one day in 2010 season - he'd gone to the main part of Are, where there is 20 or so lifts. He said conditions were great, however they were having to de-ice the lifts every hour or two, so there was only ever about 5 or 6 lifts open at a time!

Extra thermal layers required then! Or maybe just what is suitable for the Scottish Cairngorm windchill!! I believe our accomodation is within 200m of the main lifts. So should be fine and handy.

So why Sweden....?

Thats where my mate is going with his Norwegian workmates is going so I tagging along! Apparently they know how to get cheapish beer over there

If you're with 'locals' that should get you the best deals...

If you are with locals, it may be very profitable to max out your duty free allowance leaving the UK with Whisky. There's a significant market with the locals, because their local spirit prices are mega extortionate.

I went to Are very late season 2 years ago and it's lovely. There are 3 ski areas to Are but one is mostly directed at families / beginners as it's all below the tree line. The rest have a good selection of graded runs, much like anywhere else, and there are some very well developed parks if you like jumps / rails etc. The lift system is good, a few drag lifts but also lots of chairs and 1 gondola. They do get pretty extreme icing if there's a storm coming through but daylight and weather should be OK in March - much like Scotland. It reminded me very much of the Cairngorms - rounded mountains and big, wide valleys.

The town itself is pretty compact but I'm surprised that your friends think they'll get cheap beer! It's only cheap if you're Norwegian! All aclohol is expensive in Sweden AND this is a ski area. Take a bottle of whisky with you - a small bottle of Becks set me back about £4. Having said that the apres ski / board is entered into with gusto by the Scandinavians so you'll have a great time. If you want extra attention - take your kilt!

Chairlifts sound good, Not bothered by parks etc I fall over enough as it is without falling off of rails and jumps.

As for the cheap-ish beer there are some Norwegians in the party and they have been before summer and winter and I think they are arranging a bulk buy beer delivered to the self catering accommodation for us. I am not to interested in a wild nightlife as I tend to suffer from hangovers and I dont want that eating into my snow time. Some of the guys like to part hard so sounds like it should be all round fun.

Probably wont have space in my luggage for a kilt but who knows, Certainly wont be hitting the pistes in a kilt. Dont want to freeze my bits off.

wear it to travel

Was in Ã…re end of March 2011 and it was brilliant - more snow than you you could shake a stick at, loads of pow, great off piste, big back corries, tree skiing a plenty, big area, apres ski = live bands and good food. Lots of T bars though but it makes you feel at home!

This videos not the best but it'll give you a wee taster

[www.youtube.com]

Pics too [www.flickr.com]

And they do like us Scots!

Enjoy

Cheers for the links! looks pretty amazing.

Cool in the village today! Take a look at the nearest Skistarshop and get a balaclava / face mask so you can enjoy wonderful skiing all day!

This was posted on the Are facebook page! Will a buff be warm enough or should I be getting a neoprene face mask!

I've got a neoprene mask thing, I bought it in France when it got real cold one day. I don't like it, feels too restrictive and I didn't think it was any warmer than my fleecy neck tube.